Germany – Third Reich: The fascinating and rare set of Award Certificates, Documents, Newspaper Articles, Photographs and Telegrams related to the Battle of Moscow German Cross in Gold Winner and Honour Roll clasp recipient and Battle of Rzhev Knights Cross of the Iron Cross recipient Oberst Kurt Matern, Commander of the 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division who saw much heavy fighting on the central section of the Eastern Front being decorated with the German Cross in Gold and the Honour Roll clasp during the heavy defensive fighting brought about the Red Army’s counterattacks in the winter of 1941-42 and the Knights Cross for his role in executing a successful attack on a fortified Russian village while riding on a tank, completing this mission against a far superior enemy whilst under murderous enemy fire. He would be killed in action on 1st December 1943 in the defensive fighting around Smolensk. Included in the documents is a hand signed letter from Generalleutnant Rudolf Schundt at Fuhrer Headquarters who would die of wounds suffered in the 20th July 1944 bomb plot against Adolf Hitler, he was one of only 11 recipients of the German Order.
Award Certificates:
Honour Cross 1914-1918 awarded to the widow Frau Alice Matern, born Horl of Kessel who was born on 17th November 1876 in Grunwehr, dated Kassel, 12th April 1935.
Mother Cross in Bronze awarded to Frau Alice Matern, born Horl of Kassel, Herkulesstrasse 13 awarded in Berlin 21st May 1939
Other Documents:
Entry from the Honour Roll of the German Army dated 16th February 1942 listing Hauptmann Matern as a Battalion Commander in an Infantry Regiment.
Newspaper article dated 10th March 1942 from the ‘Kurhessiesche Landeszeitung’ announcing the award of the German Cross in Gold to Major Kurt Matern
Newspaper article dated 16th March 1942 from ‘Neues Aus Kassel’ detailing the award of the German Cross in Gold to Major Kurt Matern.
Newspaper article dated 20th September 1942 from the ‘Volkischer Beobachter’ announcing the award of the Knights Cross to Major Kurt Matern for destroying numerous enemy armoured vehicles during the fighting on the central sector of the Eastern Front in mid-August 1942.
Newspaper article dated 21st October 1942 from the ‘Aachener Beobachter’ announcing the award of the Knights Cross to Oberst Kurt Matern on 18th September 1942.
Booklet – ‘Soldat im Wehrkreis IX’ dated Berlin November 1942 in which Kurt Matern’s award of the Knight’s Cross is noted
Booklet – ‘Die Deutsche Polizei’ from 1st March 1943 in which details of Kurt Matern’s award of the Knight’s Cross are noted.
Newspaper article covering the fighting in the Dnieper basin around the time of Matern’s death in late November – early December 1943
Small newspaper article dated 3rd January 1944 announcing the death of Oberst Kurt Matern in the east on 1st December 1943
Newspaper article dated 14th January 1944 from the ‘Westdeutsche Zeitung’ announcing the death of Knights Cross recipient Oberst Kurt Matern
Newspaper article dated 27th January 1944 from the ‘Kurhessische Landeszeitung’ announcing the death of Oberst Matern.
Program for the commemoration of Oberst Matern on 6th March 1944 held at the S.A. Gruppe Niederrhein. Speaking was General of Infantry Wiese, winner of the Knight’s Cross with oakleaves.
Newspaper article dated 8th March 1944 from the ‘Rheinische Landeszeiting’ – ‘Oberst Matern zum Gedenken’ – Oberst Matern in memory – Ceremony for the Commander of Fusilier Regiment 39 – giving his details of his career and death
Letter dated 7th June 1944 to Frau Alice Matern from Fuhrer Headquarters giving the thanks of the German people and a monetary reward in relation to her son, Knights Cross winner Oberst Kurt Matern, who was awarded the Knights Cross on 14th September 1942 and was killed on 1st December 1943. This letter is hand signed by Generalleutnant Rudolf Schmundt who was wounded in the 20th July 1944 bombing of Hiter’s Headquarters and died of those wounds on 1st October 1944. He was also 1 of only 11 recipients of the German Order, awarded to him posthumously. A rare signature!
A typed Regimental Order from 39th Infantry Regiment, Regimental Headquarters dated 25th January 1942:
‘Captain Matern was awarded the German Cross in Gold on January 23, 1942 as the first officer of the regiment. His promotion to Major was announced on the same day. thus the excellent performances of this proven officer and his brave battalion, proven in many difficult battles, get the deserved appreciation.
The regiment is pleased with Major Matern for the proven high awards and is proud to have such an efficient officer in its ranks.
I congratulate Major Matern on behalf of the whole regiment.’
A typed note from General of Infantry Wiese dated September 1942:
‘Dear Madam,
It is a special need for me to express my warmest congratulations to you, dear lady, after the conclusion of the difficult and very successful battles of the division, which refer to your husband, who has been appointed commander of my old regiment and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and who secondly, tomorrow the Knight's Cross will be presented to by the Commanding General in a parade in front of all parts of the division. You can be proud of your spouse, he and his regiment were the cornerstone and support in our heavy fighting. I'm glad to have handed over the brave regiment into the hands of your husband.
Now we have come to a quiet front section. your husband is currently sitting in a wonderful summer house and is looking for peace and quiet. he has no idea about tomorrow's Knight's Cross. yesterday evening he was my guest and we recounted everything with the necessary fuel until after midnight. Your husband is fresh and lively. he's just surprised that there is no shooting here. With many greetings, I am your dear friend, Wiese.'
A typed article dated 12.30pm on 2nd September 1942:
‘In the central section of the eastern front, the defensive battles brought local successes to the German troops the day before yesterday. In the area west of Kaluga, where the Bolsheviks did not undertake any major attacks, a heavily contested high position was taken by a counterattack. In one of the last counterattacks, a Rheinische infantry regiment had a special success. the German attack, directed against a tactically important town, was initially stalled by the barrage of enemy artillery and tanks. then the regiment commander, who was lying between his foremost guards, jumped onto a German tank and, ignoring the heavy enemy fire, drove towards the target of the attack. the example of the Commander was the signal for the infantry companies to jump out of their holes with the utmost exertion of all their strength and charge forward. the enemy base was taken in an impetuous attack. this created the conditions for further successful advances.’
A typed article from War Reporter Werner Schafer which roughly translates as:
‘The counterattack of a Rheinische infantry regiment, which distinguished itself in the heavy fighting southwest of Kaluga with its particularly dashing attacks and the defeat of an overpowering enemy with a large number of tanks. on one of the heavy days of fighting, it remained lying under the enemy's heaviest fire. The task of the regiment to take an important place seemed impossible. the Regimental Commander, Major Matern, stood at this crucial moment - as so often in such a situation, spade in hand in the midst of his companies. He saw his first company slowly advancing on the left wing in favourable terrain. a single company in the attack against the enemy concentrated in the village above would have been pointless. so the major jumped onto his own tank and, despite the deadly enemy fire, roared straight towards them, from the tank he called out to his infantrymen, who were stuck in quickly dug holes and burrows, 'boys, attack!’ soon the commander with the tank was far ahead of his own lines. this ruthless deployment of the front-line officer, on whom the whole regiment depends, was the signal for all companies to jump out of the holes and with their last strength - the companies had been in action for days - to endure the attack. despite the enemy's heavy defensive fire, a battalion - led by the regiment commander - reached the village. it was taken by storm against superior opponents. the basis for new operations was created.’
Note from Reichs-Rundfunk G.M.B.H. Berlin – The Reich’s Radio Station addressed to Frau Charlotte Matern, 13 Herkulesstrasse, Kassel dated 15th September 1942, sending her the transcript of what had been announced on the 12.30pm news broadcast in relation to the successes of the Rhineland Infantry Regiment.
Photographs:
3 x portrait photographs of Matern in uniform, the first in a studio without his awards, the second in the field wearing combat clothing wearing all of his awards including his Knight’s Cross and German Cross in Gold as well as the ribbon for his recognition in the Army Roll of Honour, the third sitting with his wife, wearing the German Cross in Gold, but not his Knight’s Cross indicating this was taken sometime in the middle of 1942.
4 x photographs of Matern in uniform, 3 of which show him wearing his decorations including Knights Cross and German Cross in Gold
21 x images of Matern during training and at barracks, many of which are group shots in which he is included.
5 x small images of Matern’s funeral in the field.
24 x family photographs including his wife and other relatives in various situations.
7 x other group images.
4 x postcard photographs of Falkenstein
Telegrams:
17th April 1942 – attempting to book rooms unsuccesfully at the Sanatorium at Falkenstein.
21st September 1942 – telling his mother he had received the Knight’s Cross.
7th November 1943 – from Lieutenant Breslauf stating that Kurt had had good luck with his wounds.
7th December 1943 – to his mother informing her of Kurt’s death on 1st December 1943.
Letter to his wife informing her of the ‘Hero’s death’ of her husband.
undated – from Kurt sending birthday greetings to his mother
Letters:
4 x letters from Kurt to his mother in Kassel dated 1942 and 1943.
A letter commiserating Frau Matern on the death of her son dated 28th December 1943.
Serving as a Battalion Commander in the 39th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division it is unclear whether Matern took part in the unit’s fighting during the campaign in France and the low countries in May-June 1940, but it is clear he saw a lot of exceptionally heavy fighting in the campaign in Russia, he would be awarded the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver, Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st Class, the Honour Roll Clasp, German Cross in Gold and the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in two and a half years of heavy fighting in the central sector of the Eastern Front.
We know that he was mentioned in the Honour Roll of the German Army on 16th February 1942 and this would almost certainly been for gallantry in the extremely severe defensive fighting in the area around Moscow which occurred as a result of the Red Army’s counterattacks that began in early December 1941. Lasting until March-April 1942 these attacks forced the Wehrmacht over 100kms back from the outskirts of Moscow and essentially safeguarded the Soviet capital against any further serious attempts to capture it.
The German Cross in Gold would have been awarded to him shortly afterwards, for what was likely a series of acts of gallantry some of which at least (by the time it was awarded) would have related to the defensive fighting over the winter of 1941-42. This award could also have been in part due to bravery in the offensive actions of the summer of 1941 but without a clear citation this is unconfirmed.
The Knights Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to Matern in September 1942 and this would almost certainly have been for an act of gallantry during the fighting around Kaluga heavily referred to in the documents within the group where aboard a German tank he led a successful attack on a heavily fortified Russian village, stirring his men into action in a difficult situation and under heavy fire. The successful conclusion of this attack led to the Germans gaining further beneficial positions for further attacks and the destruction of numerous enemy tanks and armoured vehicles.
Matern would go on to be killed in the fighting near Smolensk on 1st December 1943 as the German Army was slowly forced into retreat after the failure of Operation Citadel – the Battle of Kursk in July 1943.
An extremely interesting set of documents and photographs relating to a Battalion Commander on the Eastern Front who was highly decorated with the Knight’s Cross, German Cross in Gold and Honour Roll Clasp.